Bad Dog Arts: Bringing an array of color to west Salt Lake City

Posted on March 22, 2020 by comm5775

Story and photos by KATHRYN A. HACKMAN

In the summer of 1996, one of the most artistic nonprofits the west side of Salt Lake City has ever seen was born. Victoria Lyons and Michael Moonbird founded Bad Dog Arts. Their purpose? To enrich the community through artistic outreach and creative exposure.

The artists have also created public art under the auspices of their sister company, Moon Lyon.

Both organizations have been leaving a vibrant trace all over the state of Utah. Perhaps you’ve seen their art along the wall of Whole Foods Market in Trolley Square? Or if you’ve ever ventured into the town of Gunnison, Utah, maybe you’ve stumbled upon their marvelous tiled mural.

While their work is statewide, there’s no doubt Lyons and Moonbird also have left their mark on west-side neighborhoods under both companies.

Moon Lyon’s vibrant mixture of warm copper, lively violet and golden yellows are guaranteed to catch the eye of anyone driving past Glendale Library on Concord Street. Visitors are welcomed by a rainbow-like tile mural that takes up a good portion of the library’s south-facing wall.

While the library was still in its developmental phases, a request for proposal, known as an RFP, was sent out to the community. The Glendale neighborhood needed a commission that was representative of the local population as a whole. Moonbird and Lyons knew they were the team for the job.

Their design kept Glendale’s very diverse community in mind.

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Moon Lyon’s tile mural at the Glendale Library, 1375 S. Concord St.

The inspiration that fueled their commission was folk art from around the world. They wanted their piece to tell the cultural story that is unique to the locals on the west side. Moon Lyon’s final installation does just that.

At first glance, the color palette seems to reference Utah’s southwest landscape. However, under closer inspection, the mural’s meaning reaches far beyond the state’s borders and incorporates a worldwide scene.

In the upper left corner, an amber sun shines. The artistic details call to western Native American tribes. Toward the center swims a teal sea turtle, highlighting the many Pacific Islanders represented in the neighborhood. The multicolored sugar skull on the far right is a nod to the Latino community.

From one side to the other, tile by tile, viewers are taken on a trip around the world.

This global harmony didn’t happen overnight. Moonbird did much cultural investigation to ensure both accuracy and inclusion. Between the research, design process, and installation of the ceramic pieces, this mural was in the making for well over a year.

Bad Dog Arts: collaboration and creativity

Most murals that you see around town are likely painted. However, Moonbird and Lyons prefer to create tile masterpieces. They do this in collaboration with children in the community through their company Bad Dog Arts.

What is Bad Dog Art’s mission? To offer an exposure to the arts for children who may not otherwise receive it. Moonbird and Lyons particularly reach out to children from all across the west side who attend elementary schools like Northwestern and Bachman.

Bad Dog Art’s artistic process is an exciting one. After a design is finalized, a ceramic glaze is applied to a porcelain tile. Rather than use traditional paint brushes, wooden skewers are used to manipulate the liquid glass. This ensures no brush strokes are visible. Once complete, the tile is fired in the artists’ studio kiln and prepared for installation.

From start to finish, Moonbird and Lyons — along with their young Glendale artists — do it all.

“We take a different approach to murals because tile installations are far more long-lasting. But they are quite a bit more time-consuming,” Lyons said.

Visitors to the University Neighborhood Partners (UNP) Hartland Partnership Center are welcomed by one of Bad Dog Arts’ signature tile murals. This piece is proof of what it does best, bringing art directly to the neighborhood, creating an experience for all to be a part of.

This project is quilt-like in its appearance. It’s made up of several 12-by-12 tiles, each one depicting a different UNP partner.

“We’ve developed a number of ways in which we work art into the community,” Moonbird said.

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Bad Dog Art’s tile mural at the UNP Hartland Partnership Center, 1578 W. 1700 South.

Bad Dog Arts met with each partner represented on the piece. The artists held workshops and focus groups to gather each organization’s ideas. Although this was a time-consuming process, it ensured that the partners were being involved within the creation.

The focal point of the piece is the tree in the center. It’s meant to represent the unity and strength created through the collaboration of the Glendale community and the various UNP partners.

“We work with the community in a very multilayered and interactive way,” Lyons said.

However, it’s the company’s inclusion of the children at the Hartland Afterschool Youth Program that really demonstrates Bad Dog Art’s desire to make art accessible to those who would benefit the most: Salt Lake City’s west-side kids.

Lyons and Moonbird realize that traveling to their studio for an art class may not be a reality for some kids living in the Glendale ZIP code. So, they bring art directly to the children.

In the UNP mural, the multicolored border was designed and created by the Hartland youth. Through this creative process, the children were taught about design, color, and radial symmetry.

It all began with the little ones, artists in the making. They used oil pastels to create the outline. These designs were then brought to workshops with the older kids, where they were introduced to the glazing technique.

According to Lyons, the most essential part of this entire process is “imparting to the kids an ‘I can do it’ attitude.”

Lyons and Moonbird create an experience that demonstrates how art transcends its creative borders and into other academic areas. Bad Dog Arts connects subjects like math, science, and geography to provide a source of visual learning for the students.

“If they complete an art project and feel happy with it, that sense of accomplishment carries over into all other areas of learning,” Lyons said.

Bad Dog Arts also hosts workshops at the Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Center (CLC), the heart of the west side.

“I was instantly impressed with Bad Dog. Sometimes you partner with arts organizations, and they create cute elementary projects. But that’s not the case with Bad Dog Arts. The things they do are incredible,” said Keri Taddie, the program director of the CLC. “They don’t do anything that’s not quality work.”

Bad Dog Arts is always looking for people who want to contribute to the organization’s artistic impact. You don’t have to be an artist to be a part of it. People from various backgrounds can lend a helping hand. And for those college students wanting to gain professional experience, look for summer internship opportunities.

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Nonprofits, Organizations, Profiles, SLC's West Side | 1 Comment »

Empowering the youth

Posted on March 20, 2020 by comm5775

The Capitol West Boys and Girls Club prepares for the opening of its facility in March. 

Story by ROBERTO ELGUERA

A community program that has been serving the public and creating opportunities for youth for more than 60 years in Salt Lake City is the Capitol West Boys and Girls Club.

The club has served as a gathering point for the youth in the Fair Park community since the 1980s. The club first started out in a local middle school and then moved to a location between West High School and the Guadalupe Church. Club Director Maren Miller called it, “A pretty ugly little cinderblock building, but we had a good time there.” Currently, the Capitol West Club will be moving to a new location in March 2020. “We just grew out of it and it was too small and the kids deserved more. So, we actually spent seven years looking for the perfect property that would allow us to stay in that same neighborhood,” Miller says. 

Even though the old building is no longer in use, the mission for the Boys and Girls Club remains the same. That is to “Provide a safe place for youth and teens and give them an opportunity at a Great Future.” 

Today, the club is double the previous size. The new and improved facility will be able to host 250 youth a day. “The new building also has a second floor that we’re not completing that will allow us to grow even more, and when we max out the first floor, then we’ll have the opportunity to expand,” Miller says.

The Boys and Girls Club Capitol Campaign raised about $7 million in three years in preparation for the new building. This required plenty of phone calls to charitable foundations and fundraising. This funding will allow for more programs and resources for the youth that the old facility didn’t have. “There will be a big art center to be able to work on all different kinds of fine arts and visual arts. It also has a stage that we can use for our talent shows, plays, musical performances, and fashion shows,” Miller says. There will also be programs on Esports, technology, and life skills. 

The staff also observes the specific interests the youth need and plan it out on a month-to-month basis. One of the staff members who has been putting many years into the program is Rose Park’s Antonio Fierro.

Antonio Fierro (B-boy Alien) competing in a dance competition. Photo courtesy of Antonio Fierro.

Capitol West has been close to Fierro since he was a kid. He spent many hours after school practicing breakdancing (more commonly known as breaking in the Hip-Hop community). This work ethic led Fierro into more involvement with the club as a volunteer when he entered high school. “I started teaching back in 2012. I would just go there after school in my free time. I was still in high school, just going there teaching the youngsters.” 

Today, he has a paid position as a tutor and program director. He uses Hip-Hop culture along with his teaching to get the youth active and get in tune with their creativity. Alongside teaching the fundamentals, he keeps it true to the roots of the culture by teaching the history of where it all started. “During the years I got a lot of kids involved in Hip-Hop culture. Dancing especially, and over time I showed them other aspects of Hip-Hop, like emceeing, graffiti, and deejaying,” Fierro says. He calls his program, The Get Down.  

It’s all about empowering the youth. “In society you know, if you live in the hood amongst Chicanos, Polynesians, Blacks, we already have a stigma against us since birth. So Hip-Hop is like the empowerment. It’s like, ‘Damn, I could be somebody, you know?’ Just be proud to be brown, proud to be black and just get down on the floor and just celebrate our culture,” Fierro says. 

Along with embracing our differences, the club hopes to provide more educational resources such as after school tutoring. This will allow more students to get help with homework and preparation for exams. The club also gives students an opportunity to stretch their creative muscles to new heights outside of the classroom setting. And most important of all, the goal is to get the community’s youth more united with each other, no matter what background they may come from.

Fierro taking a photo with students after teaching. Photo courtesy of Antonio Fierro.

The club provides programs for students K-12. Both the elementary and teen programs will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Programs cost $20 each year. For families currently staying in motels or shelters, or under financial circumstances, the fee can be waived. For more information on transportation, email Club Director Maren Miller at mmiller@gslclubs.org or call 801-531-7652. The club will continue to keep its promise and provide the best services for the youth.

 

 

Filed under: Education, SLC's West Side, Sports & Recreation | Leave a comment »

Ballet Folklórico de las Américas: a home away from home

Posted on March 19, 2020 by comm5775

Details on a costume used by the group.

Story and photos by PALAK JAYSWAL

On the edge of downtown Salt Lake City, just behind the Gateway Mall, resides a small building in a fenced-off area. During the day, the white brick shines, the title on top proudly giving it an identity. The Centro Civico Mexicano, on 155 S. 600 West, is a nonprofit organization that is home to many different local groups. 

Late on a weekday night, you’re bound to run into a youth soccer group in the middle of practice. On the opposite side of the gym, behind a polyester red curtain, lives a stage. It is set for the dancers from Ballet Folklórico de las Américas. The oldest Latin American folk dancing group in Utah practices in the building twice a week, undeterred by conditions such as freezing cold temperatures in the winter. Each member arrives with a smile and a welcoming hug to all the members (and guests alike). They’re ready to immerse themselves in cultural dance for the next two hours. The silent message from the group is clear: everyone is welcome here. 

Ballet Folklórico de las Américas celebrated its 40th anniversary in November 2019. The group, originally formed in 1979, has continued to uphold its original mission “to unite the community under one heart as we communicate with the universal language of music and dance to show that Latinos are an important group contributing in our mainstream society with traditions and celebrations that bring enrichment to families and communities together as we celebrate diversity.” 

Legacy and Roots 

Members of Ballet Folklórico de las Américas.

The group celebrates diversity within Latin American countries as well as within a community of Latinos in Utah. Giselle Cornejo, a past dancer and continued supporter of the organization, identifies as Afro-Latina. She has been with the group since it originated when she was 15 years old. Her mother is one of the original founders and Cornejo’s experience and legacy with the group has helped her find her own identity. “When you’re learning a dance from Latin America, you learn why you do things a certain way. You learn what the movement means. It’s deeper than just a dance. It’s a projection of a culture,” Cornejo said. 

It is a culture that Cornejo has passed along to her own two daughters, now older, who also joined the group. The folk dance group not only becomes a second home for many immigrants, helping them adjust to their new lives and retain their identities, but also helps them stay in touch with their culture. In fact, Cornejo encourages involvement for this very reason. “If you have Latin American roots, I would say this would be a good place to bring your kids. It’s a fun group and it keeps families together. I think it helps [kids] identify who they are,” she said. 

Hats used in one of the dances.

While Cornejo is a generational legacy within the group, even the newer participants share the same sentiment. Miztly Montero, another dancer, has only been dancing for three months and she can already attest to the difference she feels in her life. “It’s an extended family, in a way, and it’s part of the culture you don’t get in any other scenarios where other people dominate the sectors,” Montero said.

As a first-generation child of an immigrant, Montero felt increased pressure to prove herself to her family and to the world. “You feel like people are looking down on you,” she said. “Part of that led me to work harder in school, at work, but it also led me to miss part of my culture and not embrace it as much.” The part of her culture that Montero missed out on is rediscovered through folk dancing — where she gets to learn about her heritage through songs, dance moves and community. 

Montero urges everyone to support groups like Ballet Folklórico de las Américas through attendance and inclusion. “It’s cool to embrace the value groups like this bring. Not just to the Hispanic population, but to other cultures and how we can come together and embrace those differences.” 

Resiliency, Teamwork and Patience 

Those differences are exactly what led Artistic Director Irma Hofer to her discovery of the dance group over 36 years ago. Hofer found herself drawn in by the different cultures of Latin America, not just the sole focus on her own Mexican heritage. “Latin American folk dancing has more variety and more stories. I learned history, traditions, celebrations and customs through that. The idiosyncrasies of Latin Americans,” Hofer said.  Through learning dances like the merengue, salsa, mamba and others she continues to grow. 

Boots and Decorations used during the dances.

Through her leadership, Hofer strives to make the group a place where her dancers can not only embrace their identities, but also learn to be better people. “We learn a lot of our personal and human values in this group,” Hofer said. “We learn resiliency, teamwork and patience.” 

All three of these traits are being put to work as the folk dance group, among various others who use the civic center, raise funds for a new building. With so many different groups using one center, there is simply not enough room for everyone. More often than not, Ballet Folklórico de las Américas has its practices canceled because other groups can’t get their work done with music playing. 

“The Mexican Civic Center is in much need of funding because we need a new building. We need dance classrooms, art classrooms, conference rooms where people can meet and not be canceled,” Hofer said. “This is the space we have. This is it.” 

The Mexican flag at the Civic Center.

Despite the circumstances, the dancers and members of Ballet Folkórico de las Américas continue to dance away, committed to making the most of what they have with a group that has offered so many of them a home away from home. The energizing music of the mambo, the dance the group is practicing, fills the cold building. Costumes are brought out for the dancers’ performance that weekend and a Mexican flag proudly waves next to the stage at the Centro Civico Mexicano, welcoming anyone who is looking for a place to belong.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Hispanics & Latinos(as), Profiles, SLC's West Side | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Women from all walks of life: how the Glendale community came together to celebrate International Women’s Day

Posted on March 19, 2020 by comm5775

Glendale Middle School, at 1430 W. Andrew Ave. in Salt Lake City, hosted community members for a celebration of International Women’s Day on March 7, 2020.

Story and photo by IVANA MARTINEZ

Women from all nationalities dressed in their own traditional garments took to the Glendale Middle School cafeteria floor in Salt Lake City on March 7, 2020, to celebrate the annual International Women’s Day. 

The women dotting the dance floor swayed back and forth clapping to the music. They cheered on one another in vibrant headscarves and textiles embracing each other in the name of womanhood. 

“As you can see most of these women [are] dressed in their traditional clothing, they want to embrace their true identity and who they really are. And they want to be recognized and to have a voice,” said Fatima Dirie, the refugee community liaison from the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office. 

The official International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8, which is meant to acknowledge the political, social and economic accomplishments of women all over the world. According to the New World Encyclopedia, the day commemorates women who took to the streets in 1911 to demand voting rights, better wages and shorter working hours. 

The event was sponsored by the United African Women of Hope (UAWH) and co-sponsored by the Utah Refugee Connection, Salt Lake City School District, Department of Workforce Services Refugee Services Office and the Mayor’s Office. 

United African Women of Hope is an organization that started in 2004 after a local woman died in Salt Lake City. 

 Antoinette Uwanyiugira, UAWH organizer, told Voices of Utah the group initially consisted of refugee women who came from the Congo. Now the group works with women from all nationalities.  

“We all manifest the same. It doesn’t matter where you come from, where your background [is], what your religion is. We have the same issues,” Uwanyiugira said.

The organization hosts workshops on topics including domestic violence and substance abuse. United African Women of Hope receives support from the Utah Refugee Connection.

Amy Dott Harmer of the Utah Refugee Connection said the organization helps local refugee communities come together and gather. She mentioned one of the reasons it gets involved is because most refugee groups are learning how to plan an event, especially events that involve the general community.

“Well, I think one of the important things is we’re a much better community,” Harmer said about the women who came together to celebrate International Women’s Day. “When we invite people of different faiths, different cultural backgrounds to come and be involved because then we have a much better understanding of each other.” 

According to the 2017 report by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, approximately 60,000 refugees live in Utah. The vast majority of refugees reside in Salt Lake County and represent countries such as Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Iraq, Vietnam, the former Soviet Union and Burma.

A Celebration of Cultures

A handful of dance groups came to Glendale Middle School, located at 1430 Andrew Ave. in  Salt Lake City, to celebrate their country’s traditional dances as a part of the women’s day celebration. 

Evelyn Cruz, who is from Mexico and currently studies at Granger High School, arrived with her dance group to perform traditional Mexican dances such as the jarabe tapatío. 

Evelyn Cruz and her friend dancing the jarabe tapatío at Glendale Middle School on March 7, for International Women’s Day.

She said it feels good to see others who are celebrating their cultures through dance.

“I feel proud, especially seeing others dancing and moving,” Cruz said. 

Fatima Dirie, the refugee community liaison, said how unique these types of events are for women of color. She mentioned how it can be difficult to be the only woman of color in a space that is predominantly white. 

“In today’s event, you actually see women from all walks of life and so the more we’re able to insert ourselves in these different spaces, the more people are going to appreciate diversity and include diversity at the table,” Dirie said, “allow these women to actually be on boards of commission, take a leadership role and allow them to not really be limited to only being mothers because we can do more than that.”  

Dirie mentioned how women can multitask and occupy multiple positions. She said women are more than one identity marker. 

But barriers still exist. Gender pay gap and gender inequality in leadership positions affect women — and particularly higher for women of color. 

According to the Institute For Women Policy Research, women of all major racial and ethnic groups earn less than men of the same group, and also earn less than white men.  

This is why International Women’s Day is still celebrated today — to shed light on issues women continue to face and to celebrate women for how far they have come. 

Dirie said it is important to have allies in the community who can support women on issues such as health care. She said one way to do that is to allow women to talk and men to listen. 

“Once you listen you start understanding and you start realizing you’re not listening just to respond,” Dirie said, “but you’re listening to sort of understand why these women had to go through those challenges, and how they can overcome those challenges.”

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Residents of Salt Lake’s west side say new dog park will benefit all

Posted on March 4, 2020 by comm5775

Story and photo by CASSANDRA ROSENKRANTZ

Take a moment to think about all the different spaces you go to meet people. In regards to the west side of Salt Lake City, some wonderful places come to mind. Libraries, schools and public centers are among the great places to eat, relieve stress and explore with neighbors.

Our pets, on the other hand, don’t have the same opportunities. They get locked up inside, taken on the shortest of walks and don’t always have enough space to run around. Enter the dog park. This sounds ideal, but dog parks can be hard to find on the west side.

Ray Parker, a manager at Dogs All Day SLC in the Ball Park neighborhood of Salt Lake City, said he has not seen any particularly large dog parks in the area. “That alone is a sign that something needs to happen in order for a dog’s level of happiness to be improved,” he said.

“Salt Lake City is such a big, cramped city — it is challenging to give a dog enough exercise in this environment. Plus, there are so many stress-inducing factors that cause anxiety in dogs. They need a place to cool down and hang with other pups,” he said.

Parker believes that both families and dogs can benefit from a neighborhood dog park that checks all the boxes. It’s much more than just a regular park — it is a place where people can relax, enjoy being in the company of their dogs and share time with like-minded neighbors. 

The Utah Animal Adoption Center (UAAC) in Rose Park took an interest in this issue. In an email to Voices of Utah, the center emphasized the need for dogs to have plenty of room to exercise and socialize. “We have a 3.5-acre field near Jordan River Parkway,” the center explained. “Our dogs can get exercise, play with other dogs and have a space to relax out in the fresh air.” 

Residents on the west side have shared their opposition to the idea of larger dog parks because there are few empty lots where something of this size could fit. “So many new houses, apartment buildings and other structures are being built. No one wants a constant dog barking and children yelling outside their window,” the UAAC said in the email.

The UAAC said that other residents, though, have expressed concern about the cost. They believe the community council members would rather spend money on more significant projects in the neighborhood. The shelter reminds us that there are many considerations when building a park.

Dogs can enjoy many features in a space made just for them. Most parks have a shaded area where dogs and their owners can rest, as well as a specific place for smaller dogs where they can safely play away from the bigger dogs. 

Throw in areas with fresh, clean water to drink and a bathing station and mister to keep everyone cool and you have a recipe for a perfect place for adventure with your best pal.

Tiffany Laedrow, a resident in the Westpointe area, has a 2-year-old mixed breed dog named Baxter who gets walked almost every morning. “It would be great if we could have a park nearby that hosted events where we could meet other dogs and their owners,” she said.

Baxter taking a break from his walk in the Westpointe area.

Laedrow said other cities in Utah have group activities for dog owners every week. She said the Cottonwood Heights Dog Playgroup is one such group. It is comprised of community members with dogs who get together at a local dog park in their neighborhood. Laedrow wishes that the west side of Salt Lake City would offer something similar. 

In a later interview, Laedrow said she had noticed how the community dog meetings impacted the way high-energy Baxter acted throughout the day. “After attending two meetups, Baxter started to calm down when we were at home.” He used up most of his energy playing with other dogs at the park or on a group hike.

“I thought that Baxter was just a young dog with too much energy and that there was nothing I could do except wait until he grew out of it. I was shocked when I learned that he wasn’t the problem, but the problem was me,” Laedrow said. “I live in an apartment and don’t have the space for him to run around like he can when he is at the meetups with other dogs.”

Laedrow is planning to bring this matter up at a community meeting in April 2020 in the hopes of getting a group started on collecting donations to build a gathering place on the west side for dogs and their owners to get to know each other.

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Glendale/Mountain View Community Learning Center broadens early childhood educational opportunities

Posted on March 4, 2020 by comm5775

Story and photos by ELLIE COOK

Within the streets of the western neighborhoods of Salt Lake City, Navajo Street stands out because it is not your typical neighborhood block. Sitting in between Mountain View Elementary and Glendale Middle School lies the Community Learning Center. A place with a plethora of services for the locals, it also houses the Salt Lake City School District Early Childhood Program (ECP). For decades, the ECP headquarters has sat within the main district building in downtown Salt Lake City. However, moving the office has allowed easier access for families, and assisted in a significant expansion of classrooms and various educational opportunities.

The community center offers various education options for children and their families. More hands-on curriculum has been introduced, which allows the parents and children to learn together.

The program is recognized by Utah State Office of Education as a High-Quality Program. Though the district provides early childhood programs across the Salt Lake Valley, it centers its attention toward Title-1 schools. As time went on, the program became more needed, but that caused overcrowding. Families were being turned away because all classrooms were at the maximum of 18 kids. This left financially strapped parents with few other options. “Families require some type of care/schooling for their child. Preschool programs are much more productive than throwing their child in a daycare,” said Ann Cook, former director of the ECP. So, what could be done to provide for more families?

After much contemplation and planning, in 2012 the  board of education decided to construct a 30,000-square-foot facility to serve the west-side community and house the headquarters for the early childhood program.

Cook and her colleagues helped oversee the construction to assure the center provided a beneficial layout for their classroom and office needs. This included more/larger classrooms, garden beds, larger playgrounds, and appliances such as sinks, toilets and water stations that accommodated 3-4-year-olds. Lastly, it allowed the ECP to create a spacious office area to serve the community. “Moving our office from the main district building allowed us to assist our patrons much easier by making it more accessible for families who live on the west side,” Cook said.

By 2013, the dream center had become a reality. Since then, the ECP has been able to assist many more families and host various programs. The center has occupied multiple pre-kindergarten (half-day and full-day) classrooms, four kindergartens, and a Head Start room for infants.

The center sits between Mountain View Elementary and Glendale Middle School. There are various services offered within the center, including a public kitchen, a food pantry and dental office.

With the sudden growth of classrooms needing occupants, the expansion opened the doors for employment as teachers and paraprofessionals were in short supply. “We are a pretty amazing program with wonderful teaching staff. Our teachers are dedicated to supporting the students within our district,” said Teacher Specialist Robyn Johnson. Usually, classes have one teacher and one paraprofessional. Many of them are bilingual, mainly in Spanish and English. The ECP recognizes that it serves a large Hispanic community and therefore needs to ensure everything is communicated correctly, and respectfully. This applies to the classrooms and the main office. Communicating in more than one language is essential in a classroom setting, especially if English is not the child’s first language.

With such success with this center, this leaves room for potential expansions for the ECP. “We would love to provide more opportunities for pre-k. Families have asked for more full-day opportunities and we have been able to add a few more sites to meet their requests. Ideally, we would love funding for universal pre-k to support all families,” Johnson said. Currently, due to financial constraints, families are forced to pay on a sliding scale.

Three community learning centers are now operated at Mountain View/Glendale, Liberty Elementary (formally known as Lincoln Elementary), and Rose Park Elementary. However, the facilities are not as expansive as the one at Glendale/Mountain View. The district has already begun planning for the construction of even more community learning centers. These expansions would hopefully be able to grant more space for the ECP. Until then, Salt Lake City School District early childhood programs remain at other schools in the Salt Lake area. If interested, families may still register per usual.

How to Enroll?

Registration for the 2020-21 school year begins Feb. 26, 2020. Visit the website or call 801-974-8396.

 

Filed under: Education, Hispanics & Latinos(as), SLC's West Side | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Arts education empowers Salt Lake City

Posted on March 4, 2020 by comm5775

Story by PALAK JAYSWAL

Salt Lake City is home to a growing art scene. Whether it be intricate murals that color the sides of buildings or exhibitions and galleries, there is something for all art lovers. 

Many of the artists on the west side of Salt Lake City use their art as activism, teaching people about their culture through their work and educational experiences. Activists and artists find their path in several different ways, but increasingly on the west side, education seems to direct them.

Jennifer Mayer-Glenn, the director of University Neighborhood Partners (UNP), a program dedicated to bringing greater civic engagement to the west side, has seen the impact of art education. Working with organizations like the Mestizo Institute of Culture & Arts (MICA), Mayer-Glenn said, “Art is a way to connect with the community.”

One example of such impact is featured in the 2020 issue of “Community Voices,” the UNP magazine. A group of 10 youth artists participated in an art residency where they collaborated on the creative process. The result is a mural located at Sugar Space Arts Warehouse that explores the theme of cultural identity. One of the lead artists on the project, Ruby Chacón, holds an art legacy here in Utah — and she has experience with using her artistic voice for activism. 

Art as Activism

Chacón graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in fine arts. She credits her education as a catalyst to create art. “The experience of growing up in Utah as a person of color was kind of what informed my work,” Chacón said in a phone interview.

Yet she never imagined she’d become a teacher. After a negative experience with a guidance counselor in high school, who repeatedly told Chacón she would never graduate, the last thing on the artist’s mind was to become an educator.

Ruby Chacón posing next to one of her murals. Photo courtesy of Ruby Chacón.

It wasn’t until Chacón had her own son and had to think about what kind of educational experience she wanted for him that she understood she was in a position of great power. “I realized I need[ed] to go back and change from the ground up what needs to be changed in schools,” Chacón said. “I wanted to be the teacher that some kids might not have.” 

More than that, she wanted to execute in her teaching and art what she didn’t receive as a child: representation and a listening ear. “My whole experience of living in Utah and going through the school system and not seeing myself in books we read, images we saw — they did not represent me,” Chacón said. “For the longest time, I thought we were immigrants because that’s what everyone told us.”

Chacón wants to take control of her cultural narrative and show young kids they are allowed to dream and create art. When the dominant narrative is one that doesn’t include someone who looks like you, it has a lasting impact. Paying it forward is the next step to addressing this issue. 

Chacón’s TRAX Mural. Located at the Jackson\Euclid TRAX station, 850 W. North Temple. Photo courtesy of Ruby Chacón.

“It’s really important that they can see themselves reflected in a positive, dignified way to counter those narratives that are very poisoning to their identities,” Chacón said. She now teaches middle and high school art in a different state. As the co-founder of MICA, she still speaks fondly of the mission and organization: “It brings an insider’s perspective to share their voice through their art. It purposefully resides on the west side.” 

Education Empowers Artists 

Miguel Galaz, another west-side artist, didn’t realize he could pursue art as a career until he reached higher education and took an oil painting class at Salt Lake Community College. Eventually, he discovered the power of art and activism during a backpacking trip through Mexico and Central America, which helped his art career take off. 

“I was exposed to a lot of different cultures that were just fascinating,” Galaz said in a phone interview. “We went to a lot of Mayan ruins, we were just drenched with different colors, textures, food and music throughout the whole trip.”

This cultural deep dive is what led Galaz to understand what he wanted to present with his art. “I was born in Mexico, but raised over here (Utah). I sort of felt like an identity struggle of not belonging. So going on this trip made me feel connected with my identity and the richness of my culture,” he said.

In 2015, when a friend asked him to do a piece for a restaurant located in West Jordan, Utah, he wasn’t expecting controversy to occur. The experience shook Galaz to the core, but it was another pivotal moment.

Miguel Galaz’s mural in West Jordan. Photo courtesy of Miguel Galaz.

“It made me realize the power of art,” Galaz said. “How applying paint to a wall in a certain way to really impact people can move them.” This idea led to the creation of Roots Art Kollective. “We wanted to do something for our communities,” he said. “To inspire people to want to learn more.” 

Chacón and Galaz are just two of many examples of artists who believe in the power of  art education for students. On the west side, this education can lead to community, creation and connectivity. As Jennifer Mayer-Glenn, the director of University Neighborhood Partners put it, “Art is a way to express repression and oppression.” 

 

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Salt Lake City organizations promote community dialogue 

Posted on March 3, 2020 by comm5775

Story and photo by LIAM ELKINGTON

Salt Lake City has never particularly been known to be a diverse town. Due partly to its settlement by primarily white pioneers, Salt Lake City has gained a reputation for being fairly homogeneous. However, throughout the Salt Lake Valley one can find enclaves of unique cultures, cultivating their communities.

Salt Lake City’s west side serves as a home for diverse residents. Cultures can vary between neighborhoods, with each having different modes of expressing their heritage and integration into Salt Lake City as a whole. Several organizations within Salt Lake City are dedicated to not only recognizing and celebrating these differences, but also cultivating a community where differences between residents’ cultural and political backgrounds can be discussed, examined, and learned from.

One such group, Utah Humanities, offers Community Conversation Toolkits designed to provide support for local not-for-profit organizations that wish to host community dialogue events. Utah Humanites’ website features a quote from Lynn Curtis, a participant in the program, who said, “I savor the discussions which have always been engaging, but sometimes difficult.” 

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The Utah Humanities Council is located at 202 W. 300 North.

The toolkits currently offered by Utah Humanities focus on discussion that surround race and diversity, as well as bridging differences between religious beliefs. While Utah Humanities enables other organizations to host these dialogue events, there are different other events within Salt Lake City that are designed to focus not only on dialogue between community members, but also various forms of cultural and civic education.

The Village Square is a Florida-based organization that is “dedicated to maintaining factual accuracy in civic and political debate by growing civil dialog on diverse issues, and recalling the history and principles at the foundation of our democracy.” The Village Square has an active branch in Utah, which hosts events that encourage participants to engage with issues facing the community, as well as expand attendees’ understanding of Utah’s cultural diversity. 

One of the events featured Andrea Smardon of the KUER podcast “Next Door Strangers.” The podcast focused on the national commentary that our nation has become increasingly divided, and discusses methods that allow individuals to reconnect with their communities in a meaningful way. 

The Village Square events tend to lean political, with events of the past granting participants the opportunity to “speed date” local leaders. One event especially found success in gathering Clinton and Trump supporters during 2016 in an effort to promote civil discourse. 

One could argue that the motivation behind having dialogue between different parties is to achieve understanding, and hopefully to connect in a meaningful way. Utah organization The Golden Rule Project believes that sharing, kindness and compassion are primary facilitators for gaining understanding across any number of social boundaries. 

The website for the Golden Rule Project states that “The Golden Rule Project is not religious, not political, and not associated with any agenda. We promote the Golden Rule as a basic human value.” 

The Golden Rule Project goes about its mission by being involved with numerous organizations, nonprofits and events ranging from farmers markets to Pride parades. Additionally, it hosts community conversation events, again designed to bridge the gap that an individual may feel exists between them and their community.

Communal dialogue can have a real effect on the lives of those involved. Jennifer Mayer-Glenn, director of University Neighborhood Partners, stated the importance of these types of resources. She recalled her work with the Human Rights Commission. Mayer-Glenn collaborated with the Commission as well as west-side communities to host a series of dialogue events designed to determine the needs of Salt Lake residents. These events encouraged discussion regarding the specific cultural, educational and economic challenges faced by the west-side community. The data gathered from these events was used to inform Utah state legislation, and may continue to influence how the west side is perceived by decision-makers in Utah. 

While there are several organizations that provide the space and means for dialogue events, an obstacle facing the communities that could benefit from them is lack of information. “I don’t want to represent community voice,” Mayer-Glenn said. Instead, she said she prefers that communities and organizations are given the resources to speak with each other, that way the needs of the community are being actively expressed.

These organizations are hardly alone in their efforts of community outreach. Many of them place emphasis on collaboration with nonprofits and government bodies like the Human Rights Commission. Ultimately, the goals of these organizations are similar, and require that the community be actively engaged in the discussions being created. The cooperation between these organizations is met with cooperation with the community, so that it may, as Mayer-Glenn suggested, represent its own voice.

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Our CASA brings academic opportunity to the west side of Salt Lake City

Posted on March 3, 2020 by comm5775

Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Center, located at 1388 Navajo St. in Salt Lake City.

Story and photos by CHEYENNE PETERSON

As the school bell sounds with a shrill “brrring,” out walks 17-year-old Anwar with 10 of his classmates from Our CASA, an after-school program offered within the Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Center. Anwar has a smile from ear to ear as he says goodbye to his classmates and teachers. He then makes his way to the front office, where he waits patiently for his little sister to join him so that they may catch the bus home to their family.

Students with smiles are something you see often in the west-side communities of Salt Lake City, due to the Our CASA organization.

University Neighborhood Partners, located at 1060 S. 900 West in Salt Lake City.

Our CASA (Communities, Aspiring, Succeeding and Achieving) is a program that has collaborated since 2016 with the University Neighborhood Partners (UNP), the Salt Lake City District, Google Fiber, and schools on the west side. The organization consists of students, parents, teachers, and community members who all want to support families living in west-side neighborhoods as they set their sights on higher education and rewarding careers.

Our CASA does this by creating college-themed “lounges” located in classrooms of schools and community centers. The goal of the room is to make it comfortable and home-like for students with couches, desks, computers, and other necessities. Hence, the room is known as a lounge.

According to Sol Jimenez, the education pathways coordinator at the Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Center, the lounge not only creates a room and place where people can come and get together, but it also serves as a hub for access to college resources and information on continuing education. 

“It is also a place that would hold programing that would involve students, parents, families, and various different people to get more information in whatever that they need, in terms of building an education pathway,” Jimenez said.

UNP Associate Director Paul Kuttner said the first Our CASA lounge was created in 2013 in a combined effort of the Salt Lake Center for Science Education (SLCSE) and a University of Utah social services student.

SLCSE housed the sole lounge until 2016 when Google Fiber chose to give a charitable donation of $50,000 to Our CASA. The funds were distributed equally to the six current Our CASA lounges located in Backman Elementary School, Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Campus, Northwest Middle School, Salt Lake Center for Science Education, UNP Hartland Partnership Center and West High School.

Kuttner joined the UNP staff in 2016. He said that at each school and community center, a team was brought together of students, parents, teachers, and administrators in order to decide what they planned to do with the money and what activities they wanted brought to the table.

The partners allowed the kids involved at the West High School location to name the program.

West High School in Salt Lake City, 241 N. 300 West.

“The name Our CASA was submitted by a student at West High School and from there we decided on it being the acronym for Communities, Aspiring, Succeeding and Achieving. Students wanted it to be something that bridges cultures, so they liked having one word in English and one word in Spanish. They wanted it to feel more home-like than school-like,” Kuttner said.

Each school and community center was given the creative freedom to use the Our CASA lounges differently. “We support that, because we figured people on the ground at the school know what’s best. We try to support them in using the space as best as they can,” Kuttner said.

He added that the focus is on community engagement and leadership of families and students. They all offer support for people as they pursue higher education and careers.

The organizers wanted the lounge to create a sense of belonging for students and families. “The feeling you belong and having a safe place to connect in your school is proven to be key for students’ success and family engagement,” Kuttner said.

Helping students apply to and get accepted into college is a focus of Our CASA. This directly impacts the students’ level of confidence and helps them to achieve their educational goals.

“It is wonderful and it’s helpful. It helped me maintain my grades. I get helped with homework and stuff that I don’t understand,” Anwar said. 

Jimenez was initially involved with the basic establishment at the community center. She has seen the number of students who attend Our CASA at Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Center grow annually. “I think it’s a positive sign that we are doing what we are aiming to do,” she said.

 

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Mestizo Arts and Activism Collective — 13 years later

Posted on February 27, 2020 by comm5775

Story and photo by ALISON TANNER

What began as a safe space for youth to discuss different topics and concerns, has become an engaging and creative platform for young students to take action in their community. In over a decade, the continuously blossoming program is impacting many in the Salt Lake Valley.

Mestizo Arts & Activism Collective (MAA) was co-founded in 2007 by Caitlin Cahill, David Quijada and the late Matt Bradley, remembered as a powerful force in the community for change. These activist researchers were working on several different documentary projects relating to race in schools, immigration issues, and in-state tuition for undocumented citizens.

Along the way, they met with various youth who were passionate about social issues and wanted to get more involved. With a little bit of funding and a big commitment to addressing these topics in a safe space, the MAA was born.

Over a decade later, Caitlin Cahill reflects on the collective’s progress. “It’s so beautiful to see the way it’s developed. I feel humbled and inspired.” Although Cahill has since moved from Utah, she often comes back to visit. “It’s a space of activism, which is a key part of healing in this crazy world we live in.”

So how does it work? Each year, a diverse and intergenerational collective of young activists, artists and researchers work together to address urgent issues in the community. Nearing the end of the school year they work on a final project, created by a specific student or students, showcasing what they’ve learned throughout the year. Students have created everything from documentaries to murals.

MAA is a community partner with University of Utah Neighborhood Partners. UNP’s mission brings the community together by connecting the university and people in west-side neighborhoods with resources in reciprocal learning, action and benefit. As UNP proactively helps historically unheard voices, it acts as a convener, contributing to the decrease of barriers to higher education.

Various MAA mentors mentioned that the collective also provides the opportunity to connect with others and discuss topics that aren’t necessarily taught at school or in their homes.

Artwork serves as a key focus of the collective. Painting. Filming. Drawing. Speaking. Dancing. These young people are allowing others to see that activism is powerful and necessary, displaying it through words, colors and sounds.

Over the last decade there have been significant losses in art education, due to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002. UNP Director Jennifer Mayer-Glenn mentioned that when the focus shifted to helping students achieve higher skills at math and science, arts education fell to the wayside.

“Many communities relate so much to music, visual art and dance. It is hugely important,” Mayer-Glenn said. “Art is a way to express oppression and repression.”

Although it begins with high school-aged students, the MAA has created an impact with far-reaching effects. With an initiative to help youth find opportunities and remove barriers to higher education, many who began in MAA are giving back, sustaining a successful cycle of change.

MAA members pose for a photo at the Marmalade Branch of the Salt Lake City Library. Pictured from left to right is Caitlin Cahill, Yair Marin, Elizabeth Estrada-Murrillo, Jarred Martínez, Sharay Juarez, Itzél Nava, and Leticia Alvarez Guitérrez.

“MAA is a space where it’s developed and centered around high school-aged youth, but it’s where our leadership has come from. They have a different role, like myself, but we’re all still involved,” said Jarred Martínez, who serves as the MAA advisor with UNP in conjunction with the U. Martínez said that much of where he is today is due to his connection with MAA.

Itzél Nava is a student at the U and a former member of MAA. At a young age, she thought she’d never attend college. She now serves as an MAA mentor, regularly meeting with the students and providing her leadership to the collective.

“Whenever someone asks me to tell them about MAA, I tell them it’s a program that caters to west-side students.” Nava added, “You always hear about the east-side schools and their resources, but now we’re showing everybody what’s happening and what amazing things our students are doing here.”

Amazing things is right. In 2008 to 2010, an ethnically diverse group of student researchers began the “We Live Here” project. Calling attention to the complexity of multi-ethnic/cultural neighborhoods that are often overlooked, students engaged in oral history and research to document the value and contributions of their community. They wanted to challenge assumptions about the west side, creating a multi-layered interactive community history map.

Another student mentor, Yair Marin, has been involved with the program since his sophomore year of high school in Salt Lake City. Of MAA, he said, “It’s especially rewarding because it’s intergenerational. You could call it a second family.”

Marin also said that there have been various instances where students came to the leaders for personal help. Being a mentor allows them to create meaningful bonds that continue long after students have graduated from the program.

Leticia Alvarez Gutiérrez, MAA faculty advisor, said students who participate in MAA while in high school receive university credit for attending 85% of the program. This serves as yet another way that Mestizo Arts & Activism removes barriers for students of minority backgrounds to receive higher education.

“I think for me the most important thing is getting to know who these young people are. It’s a sacred space. We all hold very strong relationships,” Gutiérrez said.

The collective meets every Monday and Wednesday at Mary W. Jackson Elementary school. A full archive of its projects is included on the website. Though MAA is a small organization, the colorful tapestry of its impact is larger than life, as it reaches many in Salt Lake City and beyond.

“Activism is more than protesting. We all want to live in a better world,” said Cahill, MAA co-founder. “This space is creating the world that we all want to live in.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Education, Hispanics & Latinos(as), Immigrants & Refugees, Nonprofits, Organizations, SLC's West Side | Leave a comment »

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